High rates of unemployment have long been a major problem in Saudi Arabia, and people think there are two factors at fault. One, the majority of nationals refuse minimum-wage jobs, which are mostly filled by expats. Two, nationals prefer not to take work in the private sector.
Earlier this week, Dr. Ahmad Al-Zahrani, a top official at the kingdom's Ministry of Labor and Social Development, corroborated both these theories. In a statement he made during a meeting held at the Saudi Economic Council's annual conference, Al-Zahrani said:
"Some Saudis don't look into available job opportunities in the private sector because of cultural and social factors. The ministry has launched several projects aimed at changing this rhetoric among job-seekers."
"We're also working on bridging the gap between the jobs available and those looking for work," he added.
Al-Zahrani's statement was received negatively by Saudis, who took to social media to express their opinions.
Here's how people weighed in on the matter:
The "low wages" argument came up a lot
"The biggest obstacle would be the low wages. But when it comes to Saudis, they've proven themselves in every field. They've even worked in places where we never expected to see them work."
Many questions arose
"What are these jobs? Why don't you name them? How much do they pay? Or is it just an excuse?"
The private sector isn't suited for Saudis, according to several tweeps
"You won't get your rights if you work in the private sector. Low pay, yet long hours and hard labor."
"Offer jobs that suit people's qualifications and then if no one applies, make this statement"
The kingdom's unemployment rates hit all-time high in 2018
In the past two years, Saudi Arabia took major steps to reduce its reliance on foreign labor by providing nationals with jobs opportunities.
Despite the fact that more than 800,000 expats have left the kingdom in recent months, the country recorded its highest-ever unemployment rate among citizens during the first quarter of 2018.
At the time, the spike was attributed to the kingdom's introduction of a 5 percent value-added-tax (VAT), which impacted private employers.
However, unemployment rates dropped to 12.8 percent by the third quarter of the year.